Battery terminal connector



Dec. 31, 1963 w. J. HUNTER BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTOR Filed June 8, 1962 United States Patent 3,116,100 BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTOR Walter J. Hunter, 9958 Oakley Ave., Chicago 43, Ill. Filed June 8, 1962, Ser. No. 200,990 7 Claims. (Cl. 339-226) The present invention relates to a novel connector, and more particularly to a device suitable for use as a battery terminal connector.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a connector which may be easily applied to or removed from a battery terminal or the like without the aid of special tools.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a connector which may be readily clamped on a battery terminal or the like and which may be manipulated for positively expanding the connector and thereby loosening the connector from the terminal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a connector of the above described type which is of simple, rugged, and long lasting construction.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector incorporating features of the present invention assembled in association with a battery terminal;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a connector constructed in accordance with the present invention;

IFIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary partial sectional view taken generally along line 33 in FIG. 2 and showing the connector securely fixed on the battery terminal;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows the connector in a loosened condition for facilitating removal from the battery terminal; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, Where like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a connector incorporating features of the present invention is adapted to connect a cable 12 with a terminal 14 of a storage battery 16 or the like, as shown best in FIG. 1. It is to be noted, however, that various other uses will suggest themselves for connectors incorporating features of the present invention.

The connector 10 comprises a main body member 18 formed from a desired electricity conducting material such as copper or a copper alloy. The body member 18 includes spaced apart arm portions 20 and 22 which extend in generally parallel opposing relationship. First ends of the arm portions are integrally joined by an end or bight portion 24 of the body member, and opposite ends of the arm portions are free. A lug 26 extends from the end portion 24 and is adapted to be connected with the battery cable 12. The lug may be solid, as shown, or it may be hollow for telescoping over the cable.

As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, inner end sections of the arm portions present opposed, substantially complementary, curved surfaces or seats 28 and 30 which are adapted to accommodate the battery terminal 14. In the embodiment shown, the sea-ts 28 and 30 combine to provide a split substantially frusto-conical socket for receiving the tapered battery terminal.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the connector 10 is provided with means for urging the arm portions 20 and 22 toward each other and thereby collapsing the terminal accommodating seat for clamping the connector on the terminal and, in addition, the connector includes means for positively spreading the arm portions apart for facilitating removal of the connector 3,116,100 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 ice from the terminal. More specifically, a spring element 32 is provided for aggressively but yieldably urging the arm portions toward each other. The spring element 32 comprises a spring steel strip of generally inverted U- shaped configuration presenting vertical leg portions 34 and 36 embracing the arm portions 20 and 22. The leg portions 34 and 36 are integrally connected by a horizontal bight portion 38 extending across the upper margins of the arm portions 20 and 22. Preferably the arm portions 20 and 22 are respectively provided with grooves 40 and 42 defined by oppositely facing shoulders 44-46 and 4850, for accommodating the spring element 32 and preventing the spring element from slipping longitudinally of the arm portions.

The spring element 32 is constructed so that its resilient leg portions 34 and 36 urge the arm portions 20 and 22 toward each other for clamping the connector on the battery terminal. In order to spread the arm portions and thereby release the connector from the terminal, a wedge block 52 is shiftably disposed between the arm portions 20 and 22. The wedge block is formed with oppositely facing beveled surfaces 54 and 56 respectively adapted to engage inwardly facing similarly beveled surfaces 58 and 60 on the arm portions 20 and 22. A screw member 62 is provided for actuating the wedge block, which screw member includes a threaded shank portion 64 extending through a slightly oversized aperture 66 in the bight portion 38 of the spring element and turned into an internally threaded aperture 68 in the wedge block 52. The screw member also includes an enlarged bearing flange 70 overlying the spring element and a head portion 72 which is adapted to be engaged for turning the screw element. In the embodiment shown, the head portion 72 is particularly adapted to be manipu lated by the fingers of an opera-tor, but it is to be understood that the screw could be modified for manipulation by means of a suitable tool.

When applying the connector 10 to a terminal 14 the screw element 62 is turned for drawing the wedge block 52 upwardly against the cam surfaces 58 and 60. This causes arm portions 20 and 22 to be spread apart and the spring leg portions 34 and 36 to be flexed slightly outwardly as shown in FIG. 4. The connector is then assembled over the terminal 14 and should be lowered thereon until the seat surfaces 28 and 30 thereof engage the terminal. It will be noted, however, that the connector is shown in an intermediate stage of assembly or disassembly in FIG. 4 since the seat surfaces are slightly spaced from the terminal. After the connector has been assembled on the terminal in the manner just described, the screw element 62 is loosened so as to shift the wedge block downwardly as shown in FIG. 3, whereupon spring element 32 functions to urge the arm portions 20 and 22 toward each other and aggressively and effectively clamp the connector on the terminal 14. When it is desired to remove the connector, the screw element 62 is again turned to draw the wedge block upwardly for expanding the arm portions 20 and 22 as shown in FIG. 4.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What -I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A connector adapted to be applied to a work element comprising a body including a pair of spaced apart opposing arm portions, means providing a work element accommodating seat on opposed sections of said arm portions, a spring element connected with said arm portions for yieldably urging said arm portions toward each other for collapsing said seat on said work element, and means including a wedge member shiftably disposed between opposing surfaces of said arm portions for urgingsaid arm portions apart for expanding said seat and releasing said work element and a screw member extending between said arm portions and threadedly connected with said wedge member for actuating said wedge member.

2. A connector as defined in claim 1, which includes a portion integrally joining adjacent ends of said arm portions, and an integral lug connectable with a second work element.

3. A connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said spring element comprises a generally U-shaped element including leg portions embracing said arm portions, and a connecting bight portion traversing said arm portions and a space therebetween.

4. A connector adapted to be applied to a work element comprising a body including a pair of spaced apart opposing arm portions, means providing a work element accommodating seat on opposed sections of said arm portions, a generally .U-shaped spring element including leg portions embracing said arm portions and a connecting bight portion traversing said arm portions and a space therebetween for yieldably urging said arm portions toward each other for collapsing said seat on said work element, a wedge member shifitably disposed between opposing surfaces of said arm portions for urging said arm portions apart for expanding said seat and releasing said work element, and a screw element extending through said bight portion and threadedly connected with said wedge member for actuating said wedge member.

5. A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said opposing surfaces of said arm portions are beveled and said wedge member has complementary beveled surfaces engageable with said opposing surfaces.

6. A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said screw element includes an enlarged manually operable head portion for actuating the screw element.

7. A connector adapted to be applied to a work element comprising a body including a pair of spaced apart opposing arm portions, means providing a work element accommodating seat on opposed sections of said arm portions, a generally U-shaped spring element including leg portions embracing said arm portions and a bight portion traversing a space between said armt portions for yieldably urging said arm portions toward each other for collapsing said seat on said work element, and means shiftably disposed between said arm portions for urging said arm portions apart for expanding said seat and releasing sa-id work element, said connector including a screw element having a threaded shank extending through said bight portion and into the space between said arm portions, said :shiftably disposed means having internally threaded aperture means complementary to and threadedly receiving said shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,746,514 Baunaoh Feb. 11, 1930 1,861,451 Park June 7, 1932 2,347,168 Beckman Apr. 25, 1944 2,445,946 Harper July 27, 1948 2,769,964 Lartz Nov. 6, 1956 3,004,239 Devino Oct. 10, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 232,734 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1944 

1. A CONNECTOR ADAPTED TO BE APPLIED TO A WORK ELEMENT COMPRISING A BODY INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART OPPOSING ARM PORTIONS, MEANS PROVIDING A WORK ELEMENT ACCOMMODATING SEAT ON OPPOSED SECTIONS OF SAID ARM PORTIONS, A SPRING ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH SAID ARM PORTIONS FOR YIELDABLY URGING SAID ARM PORTIONS TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR COLLAPSING SAID SEAT ON SAID WORK ELEMENT, AND MEANS INCLUDING A WEDGE MEMBER SHIFTABLY DISPOSED BETWEEN OPPOSING SURFACES OF SAID ARM PORTIONS FOR URGING SAID ARM PORTIONS APART FOR EXPANDING SAID SEAT AND RELEASING SAID WORK ELEMENT AND A SCREW MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ARM PORTIONS AND THREADEDLY CONNECTED WITH SAID WEDGE MEMBER FOR ACTUATING SAID WEDGE MEMBER. 